As you well know by now, I am always trolling the web for inspiring work spaces. I am very jealous of this one, by Designs by Shoshana. It’s so clean and organized that you don’t even notice that monolith of a printer! Did you even notice that the wall files are, well, on the wall, or that they are files? They seem to fit right into the composition of artwork. The white holder and simple manila folders help it blend right in as well? I have to say my favorite part of this room is that gorgeous inspiration board. It appears to be a frame full of glass cloth, with foam core or cork behind it.

Today’s Flickr faves come to us from J.E.N., who submitted them to our Fresh New Spaces Group. I think I would actually get stuff done in this space, unlike my current office, where the In-box is too full and is thus distracting:

I was cruising around on tumblr yesterday (it had been awhile) and I found this gorgeous office in my favorites. I am not sure where credit is due, but it seems the first person to blog it was gigimelo. NEW NOTE: Thank you to Victoria, who knew exactly whose office this is! It is where the creative magic of Tif Fussell happens. Check out Tif’s work at dottie angel. Buy it on Etsy!

So, Organization Point #1: A Gorgeous & Neat Work Environment. This is a beautifully organized workspace. I am not quite sure what’s going on in that bottom shelf on the right, but I like that there is one little messy element. That magazine file on the desktop can hide a multitude of sins and serve as an inbox without messing things up. I can’t quite tell what is in the Catherine Holm casserole dish, but it sure looks neat and organized. I would not have thought to use a casserole dish that way. I’m sure it would get a lot more use on my desk than in my kitchen. The drawers in the vintage desk provide plenty of space for everything to be tucked away. Also, check out how organized the art arrangement is. With everything lined up neatly like this in a similar color palette, you could hang pages from a lovely glossy and it would look fantastic!

Organization Point #2: Using tumblr. Does anyone out there use tumblr? What do you use it for? For those of you who don’t know or don’t care to blog, you may find you really enjoy tumblr. It’s kind of like tweeting but with photos, at least for me. It is also a very simple way to dip your toes into blogging, as it certainly isn’t all about photos. That’s just what I use it for. Anyway, you can peruse everyone’s blogs right on the site in one easy feed, and mark your favorite posts. You can also re-post those that you like.

So, how does this help you get organized? The result is that you can create style files of your favorite images. You can also tag them. For example, when I want to look at inspiring black and white designs I’ve been collecting, I can go into my own tumblr blog and search “black and white” and they’ll all come up in a wonderful stream (here is mine if you want to see what I mean). The catch is that you have to be an obsessive compulsive tagger to make this work. Overall, it’s the perfect spot to store all kinds of inspiration and ideas. If you do post to tumblr, please remember to give credit to publications/websites/blogs/photographers if you are using their images.

Here are just a few of my favorite design people to follow on tumblr (tumblr has even informed me that they are among my “tumblr crushes” because I mark their images as favorites the most often!):

Design Evolution (this post Michelle wrote is how I found out just what the heck tumblr was in the first place – seriously, how does everyone keep up with the latest and greatest web tool? It’s ridiculously overwhelming!)

You’ve waited a long time and worked very hard for your own office. Whether it’s your own home office or a promotion at work, your office is something to take pride in. Messy desks, chipped furniture, over flowing letter trays, boring office supply pile-ups, and other office disasters say only one thing: “ I don’t care about my workspace.” If you don’t have the budget to get modern and stylish office furniture, what should you do? How do you tackle your office mess and make your office into a space that feels great to work in?

Here are three important tips to keep handy at all times.

Straighten up your desk/office at the end of each workday.
This seems like an obvious task, yet everyone I have helped now and in the past has told me they never do this. Take just five minutes a day to put away papers, put your pens back in your pen holder, and throw away and trash that’s sitting on your desk or other areas. Be sure to do this every day, right before you leave your office.

End result: Fresh start when you come in the next day, as opposed to the messy start you’re used too.

Remove all electronics from your desktop, except for your monitor and keyboard.
For some unknown reason, I see a lot of people love to put a giant printer, shredder, and other large electronics on top of their desks. I know that it is a little easier to reach on your desk for the sheet you printed out, versus reaching below it, but this is a large disruption in your work flow. Remove all electronics except for your keyboard and monitor, and put away in printer cabinet like these from Ikea, or other furniture store.

Having these items in cabinets will make your office look a lot more spacious and clear than before.

Replace boring office items with modern office supplies
You may think you’re okay with manila file folders, plastic pencil cups, and other traditional office supplies, but think again. Replace your boring, manila file folders with a set of decorative file folders made out of sturdy material that will last longer than you’re used to.

Replacing little items like chewed up promotional pens, stacks of manila file folders, and plastic pen holders are a great way to make a change, without costing you an arm and a leg. Your desktop can still be professional (not boring!) while reflecting your personality.

Clearing your desktop and removing unwanted items will make a tremendous difference in how you feel at your desk. If you were feeling overwhelmed before, clutter may have been a contributing factor. Making small changes will make a big difference in your work environment and the way that you work. If you’re happier sitting at your desk 40 + hours a week, then you’ll reflect that in your work too.

About Sayeh: Recognized as a 2010 Internet Retailer “Hot 100 company,” SortingwithStyle.com is part of a multi-platform media brand created by two time entrepreneur and TV personality Sayeh Pezeshki, “The Office Stylist,” who provides office styling services, consulting and personal shopping for private and corporate clients. For daily tips, insight and items to transform your workspace, visit www.theofficestylist.com

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